


Acidic- An X force 'Love'  Story

by An_outsider_looking_in



Category: Bill Skarsgard - Fandom, Deadpool (Movieverse), Deadpool - All Media Types, X-Force (Comics)
Genre: Accidental Death, F/M, Murder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-07 10:59:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14669697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/An_outsider_looking_in/pseuds/An_outsider_looking_in
Summary: DISCLAIMER- This has references but not Explicit spoilers to Deadpool 2, the characters are from the film and it does make slight references to stories elsewhere in the X-Men universe.I have tried my best to make this both exciting and full of twists as well as keeping it accurate in regards to character depictions. I've had a lot of fun exploring the character of Zeitgeist and writing this, So i hope you guys enjoy it to. As a member of the Bill Skarsgård fandom, I do develop and include Zeitgeist as a character more as it's his portrayal in Deadpool 2 that inspired this fan fiction.PLOT -Erika is tasked with helping organise a task force. In doing so she has to encounter a range of unsettling characters, each different and uncertain.  But all with a mutual respect and fear of her. A new guy is brought in however and he seems to be very unsure. Yet somehow she finds becoming intrigued by him. However plans soon erupt and chaos of the most brutal kind ensues .Enjoy :)





	1. Chapter 1

As she entered, she approached each of them. They stood in a line, like children in line for the canteen. Each had respect for her as she kissed or shook the hands of each client. On the outside she appeared courageous but on the inside she quivered with fear. Her outside appeal was all that mattered in this instance. It could be the decision between life or death or trust or lies She walked down the line, like the queen greeting semi famous celebrities. They knew her family and they especially knew how her sister had run things. Annabelle was strong and she was capable of organising them, these tasks.

 

As she walked down, she knew they were weary of her. "Looking Very well" Bedlam approached her and kissed her cheek. He was a tall and muscular, african American male and she had heard a great deal of his capabilites. His body was large and muscles rippled off him from every limb. An impressive man and one who seemed kind and threatening all at once. A worthy addition to the group and someone to trust as a familiar face to the family "Don't need to be so formal" she chuckled then hugged him tightly. His muscular arms tightening around her, perhaps a warning of his strength. Or an over showing of affection. She was gratuitous of his nerves but weary of him.

 

She then approached a new face, an African American lady with big hair and a white scar on her face. This was domino and her power, luck. She shook Erikas hand and felt very awkward to acquaint. Erika smiled at her and said "I'm glad to have you, luck is definitely what I need" "it's strange, often my luck makes people very uncomfortable" Domino responded to Erikas undisclosed question, luck was certainly something that they required.

She then reached a tubby man, well dressed in a white tucked in shirt and braces. He seemed lost and ecstatic, perhaps terrified. Either way he had a kind face, even if it was covered with a large mustache. Stepping towards him in her leather trousers and ankle boots, he seemed unable to look her in the eye. His face glided to different view points as she approached him "Erika" she introduced herself and he held out his hand to shake hers "Peter" his smile nervous, she leant in to him and whispered in as least a patronising way as she knew how. "are you sure that this is the right place for you, Im not trying to sound rude, as I appreciate, we appreciate every bit of help we can but..." "may I interrupt you, sorry, I know what your trying to say. But I'm doing this as my marriage is on the rocks and I am trying to be spontaneous as well as manly and unafraid" his voice seemed to get higher as he spoke. "That's OK then, good to have you onboard" she instantly feared for him buy could not afford to lose people, if it got too much she would have to extract him. Innocent lives did not need to be lost.

 

Finally she approached the next and last man on the line. A green shield hanging on his next and tattooed arms were on show.. His vibe was broken and he displayed a radiating of anger and sadness. "Hi, I'm erika" she initiated an introduction, to which he glanced up to her and uttered "Zeitgeist, I have the ability to spew Acidic vomit" shallow and quiet was the voice that escaped this tattooed man. Leaning in to offer a hug and perhaps and cheek kiss, he retouched and uttered "Probably best you don't., I have little control over this and don't want to hurt anyone". She instead shook his hand, it was classy and had a name tattooed over the knuckles. It was faded yet still able to read. She chose not to pry. "Thank you for being on board" Erika exclaimed to which he responded "Its a pleasure, your sister was a good lady, she knew how to organise a job" "oh you knew her? Well this isn't a job as such, I've been asked to assemble you for some superhero type, well basically it's more of a rescue mission" stumbling through her words yet managing to somehow make sense in her mind "Yeah I did know her, worked with her only once however but a rescue mission is a new area for me" she nodded and continued walking.

Standing at the foot of the line, she began the speech, pep talk, whatever that she had rigorously been rehearsing in her room. Fear did not begin to describe her emotions and overwhelming sense of displacement as she stood as the face of a respected family. Covered heavily by the grandness of her sisters shadow. A figure of importance nestled in a very afraid woman. A woman who had to organise a group of unusual and dangerous characters.'You can do it'she had been telling herself. As she mounted the small wooden box to propelled her own image of importance. "Right, she said, as you know, or are probably aware of, I am a Rose and am therefore picking up on where my sister left off. I have been asked to gather together a group, an X force, as the memo read and basically this is a rescue mission. I'm hoping that this won't be gruelling for particularly violent but I can't guarantee either way as I was asked to gather people who can defend themselves. The guy who proposed this is a little hot headed and I gather unsure of planning. What I mean is, thank you. Thanks for giving me this chance. " she finished rather abruptly as she stared back at the expressionless faces.

"Is it over" Bedlam turned to Zeitgeist, whispering but still loud enough to hear.  Not out of spite but through worry of when to clap. Domino began an awkward clap as peter held out his hand for Erika to step down. She noticed how a buddying up system had already initiated amongst them. Bedlam and domino stood together, Peter seemed to latch on to them as he pulled his best mean face then instead resulted to charm. He didn't have much but what he did have, he oodled. Charisma and honesty seemed to overflow into people, quite threatening looking characters warmed to his radiating kindness.

Zeitgeist stood alone.

Not in a sad way, in a protective way. She was unsure whether he tried to protect them or him but she approached him nevertheless. "Hey" she stood beside him, couldn't help but feel very overpowered by his rugged and tattooed appearance, he was tall as well. "Hey," he seemed to edge away from her, he intrigued her. "So how long have you had your mutation? " she died a little inside as the words escaped her mouth, his face seemed amused by her desperacy to begin a conversation. " Since I was 8, I accidentally spewed up on someone in school. No one knew how to react, they treated me like a monster. Terrified of me, it was then that I realised that I couldn't be normal" his story was told with emotion but she felt uncertain about him, he had a charisma yet she knew something was happening.

"Oh, that's pretty horrendous for a young boy to go through" "It was but also it taught me at an early age that I couldn't trust myself, but then I met her. She was everything to me" he stopped speaking and then turned to look away from Erika, he exhaled, saddened or angered by this memory. "It doesnt matter, was a long time ago and I paid for it, with these" he lifted up his shirt to reveal a scar on his stomach, well more to the side. It was inflamed yet clearly a burn mark. His skin swelled in a grouped up piece of flesh. Similar to a rose, the way that it elevated on his side. "This was my payment" he lowered his shirt. "It looks painful" she spoke very vaguely, scared to step on the wrong word. Fearful to trigger something in him. He seemed unstable and she didn't want to further irritate or upset him "It did hurt, like a million cigarettes being put out on your skin. But what hurt the most was that I survived. I was found and brought to the hospital where they fixed me. I did not and do not deserve to live in this world. With only a scar and this poisonous talent" she was overthrown with his sadness, self loathing. He was such a beautiful man and it crushed her to hear his self loathing. Simply she replied. "But you did survive and do deserve to be here" "You don't know me" he said as he pulled a cigarette packet out of his back pocket and then signified his leaving as he exited the room. "Perhaps not, but I can see beauty" she said to herself as he walked away, "Its sort of my mutation" she turned to bedlam and Peter who seemed to be in a heated discussion on lamps. "He's a very broken man" Domino said to her, "I've met him before and have worked along side him on a few occasions. I heard a lot about his past with never really asked or confirmed anything. In my experience with him, it's very much get in and get out". She placed her hand on Erika shoulders, "I've also learned that no matter how hard you try. You can't heal every wound and he is a very wounded individual" Erika heard her words but didn't listen. She wanted to get to him and see if she could ease him. Yet she also had a job to do and a very keen employer awaiting this X force.

Her heart burned as she began her group talks and such, they waited for hours for the mysterious employer to arrive. The man known only to them as red.


	2. The wait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As they sit and wait for the mysterious employer, they begin to irritate and unlock one another's personalities.

They sat in the stuffy room. Erika on the sofa while everyone sat in their own world. Bedlam on the sofa, Domino on a stool, fiddling with her nails. While Zeitgeist sat on a leather chair that was perched by the sofa. Peter sat in the middle of Bedlam and Erika and seemed to be tweeting images of them in blurry selfies.

  
"So red, is that all we know of this guy" Domino asked Erika  
"Yeah well that's all it said on the request thing she shrugged and domino stopped  
"So this is not something I'm used to but. I am good at killing time so shall we play a game?" Peter spoke and Bedlam said  
"What kind of game?" Peter was so happy to get a response, he stood and turned to them.  
"Team building or like a communicative circle, we had to do it at work once and it was quite fun" he spoke in such doubt of himself so Erika said  
"Sure could be fun, lead on"  
"Ok well we reach introduce yourself and say a fun fact about each other, I will start . I'm Peter and I have an impressive collection of first edition books" he was proud of his annoucenment

  
"Cool" Domino jumped in to end the awkward silence.

  
"I'm Domino and while I'm very lucky I have never actually been able to do a rubik's cube" this was an unusual sight Erika thought as she saw very intimidating people talk about unusually amusing aspects of themselves.  
"Well I'm Bedlam and I am a champion in arcade dance challenges. I nail that shit" this huge muscle man had such a kind heart and seemed very proud of his fact. Erika didn't want to but she chuckled internally st the image of this.

  
"Erika , how bout you?" Peter asked her.  
Everyone looked at her, she would have to be careful as she was somewhat the authority here.

  
"I'm Erika, as you all know and a fun fact. Well let's see. I'm, huh this is hard, well I've never been more nervous than I am right now. I guess it's not really a fact but I have never actually killed anyone" she saw their unsure faces at this. Was this because they were suddenly losing respect of her.  
"Oh, well that's sort of a given. We aren't hitmen. Well I'm not" Bedlam pointed out.  
"Really that's odd. You look very threatening" she smiled at him

  
"Looks are how I got this job" he laughed

"Zeitgeist?" Erika asked

"Yeah, I'm not doing that"

"Come on, we all had to" Erika said

He didn't fight it and instead exhaled and said

"Hi I'm zeitgeist and well I not much of a talker, but a fun fact ok. I'm able to spit acidic vomit" he shrugged, most of them knew this but they appreciated his input.

"Riight now what?" Domino asked Peter  
"Honestly didn't think we'd do that so I don't know

"Oh well we could talk more about ourselves" Bedlam said

"Yeah but shouldn't we be a bit less sharing , especially as we don't know the mission or the nature of it" Domino said

"Yeah good point Bedlam said

"Well we can't just sit here in silence" Peter added

"How about this. We result ourselves to parlour games?" Zeitgeist made a sarcastic remark then turned back to fiddling with his arms,

" I don't know guys. Must we even fill the time?" Erika asked  
"Yeah especially as we seem to be working together for quite a while" Domino  
" Ok . Peter tell me more about yourself" Bedlam asked Peter who had a small smile creep across his face at this notion  
" Sure well I have a wife. Lynda and well we are going through a sticky patch so I'm doing this to reassert myself " he went on to describe a long story as Erika stood up to exit the room for some air, also she assumed Peters story wouldn't be much different to the long email be had sent prior to the job application  
She sat on the metal rod outside and looked down at the city, well the garbage cans and metal containers that lined the shipping yard. What a dump she amused herself. Well if only Annabelle could see her now, what a mess.

  
The door opened behind her and Zeitgeist emerged from inside onto the balcony. He pulled out a cigarette and put it in his mouth .

"Hey" she said

"Hey he nodded and offered her a cigarette  
She declined  
"You ok?" He asked  
"Yeah just feel like I'm bollocking this up" she smiled at her own self consciousness.  
"Think your doing ok. Plus Peter seems to be the real show stealer anyways" he laughed  
" that's true . Gosh I worry for him" she had a slight pity for Peters innocence  
"He'll be fine. Bet he's an absolute mad dog" he echakrd smoke through his nose.  
"So what's your deal?" She asked. "Not much of a people person " she looked back to the yard.  
"Yeah guess you could say. But my mantra is that if i get too close . People usually die. So it's safer that I don't. But you seem to be the exception.you are fascinating Erika"  
"Thanks" she was confused by his forwardness

"Don't thank me too much. Means you'll probably does he laughed an awkward laugh.  
'Guess i had better not get too close then" she turned and went to go back in.  
He didn't turn around and said

"Yeah prob best you don't. Acid burns"  
What an unusual thing to say, she thought as she 're entered the room through he heavy metal door.


	3. Who the hell is red?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They wait. And wait.  
> Eventually conversations flare into arguments and the mysterious red is revealed. Revealed to be someone they never saw coming

Sitting in the room, they each fell silent once again. Was amusing to an extent as they all seemed to await Peters next conversation. Erika stood in the corner of the room and re-read over the memo that had lead them here. It read as follows

Erika,  
I require a team of people to assist in a rescue mission  
I understand that you have obtained contacts from your sister and hope you are able to bring this together  
Wait in the storage unit yard and I will come  
Red

As she read it, it became more and more suspicious. It had a very serious tone to it, almost deathly.She suddenly worried for her team. She hadn't actually deconstructed the note upon receiving it. Glancing over at the team, she noticed their almost friendship like bond and Bedlam spoke to Peter, making him feel very cool, indeed .

Can beauty come out of ashes?

She thought to herself as she reminisced on her sisters motto for when missions didn't go according to plan. She never understood what it meant but was slowly beginning to understand it. Zeitgeist glanced over at her and stood up to go to her. "Do you know how long this will take?" He asked, towering over her in height. Domino also approached her and whispered " it seems to be taking ages"

Erika turned to these intimidating characters and found herself feeling very useless. "Red, should be here any moments" even she was sick of hearing these words. They rolled their eyes at her "I know it sucks" she said "it feels like someone is playing a game with us"

"Yeah no shit" Zeitgeist said irritated by her amateurish qualities. "Well I guess atleast we are getting along " Domino noted as she went back to the rest of the group "What you gonna do?" Zeitgeist asked her as he leant against the wall. "Wait?, what else am I supposed to do?" She walked back to the couch and sat down. "Sure " he shrugged "could do that" A few more hours past and Erika found herself asleep on the sofa, in fact everyone but Zeitgeist had managed to fall asleep.

He sat alone , musedly watching their tired bodies. It was in this moment that a loud bang suddenly occurred Like a car crashing into the containers outside. "Guys" he nudged Peter who awoke with a fright. "Theres someone here" Zeitgeist headed to the metal door and could hear footsteps approaching. Erika sprung to her feet "Ok here we go guys" she straightened her jacket and brushed back her hair. Heading to the door to open it. "Somethng feels off about this," Bedlam said as he stood behind her, pulling out his weapons "Yeah this feels very wrong" Domino pointed out edging towards the door as the footsteps stopped. "Its dramatic , they all do it" Erika felt very confident that she would leave here sooner rather than later.

Within a few minutes of silence. The door flung open, knocking Erika backwards to be caught by Bedlam. " You ok?" He asked as she composed herself A tall figure stood in the doorway, a red beaming eye on one side of his face. In his hand a ball shaped object, something appeared to be dripping from it.

"Are you Red?"

Erika asked stepping forwards, Zeitgeist seemed to maintain his stance by her stance. "No, im not. This is" the voice had a calm coldness to it as he rolled the circular item In to the room. It rolled across the floor and landed at Erika 's feet. Was a severed head, a red mask with black circles surrounding white eyes. It was blood drenched and appeared to have a collar around his neck. Erika gasped as she stepped back. "What the...." She didn't finish her sentence as the man proceeded to walk in.

He was half metal and half human with huge grotesquely muscle like arms. His hair slicked back "Your cable aren't you?" Domino asked him as she placed her hand over her eyes "Lucky guess" he said in a monotone and expressionless voice. "What do you want?" Bedlam stepped from behind Erika and infront of the man. Almost the same height as him, he seemed a worthy opponent. "I want rid of you filthy mutants " he spoke then used his metal arm to try and thtow Bedlam across the toon.

He didnt seem to respond or put in any effort as he devoured this large man. Bedlam held on to it and punched Cable in the face. He channeled hiz electirc powers to tey amd manipulate or trigger an emotion or trauma in Cable. He for some reason couldn't get a reading of his current but Bedlam did cause Cables eye to glitch and almost explode under the tension of Bedlams abilities. He fought as hard as he could before Cable let out a scream, a deep depiction of both a protruding mental and physical agony. His eye glitched and cracked,then In one swoop he smashed his arm into Bedlams head and it collapsed into his spine his body becoming a blooded bag of flesh. As he fell ,Bedlams face revealed almost a terrifying realisation, as though he had managed to see something in Cable. Something that had lead to him being thrown, mentally and physically. The look on Bedlams face as he died , was certainly one of grave knowledge.

A knowledge he could never share.

Cable fiddled with his eye and then turned to the group who stood in shock. He had his hand on his head, as if nursing a migraine of sorts. Bedlam had clearly been a tougher opponent than had first appeared yet Cable still became victorious. Bedlams body still lay in front of them. His face still formed in the anger, the open mouthed fury as he struggled to best Cable from I side his head. A man with an electric synonym or apparatus in his title should have been a simple opponent. But as they feared and as Bedlam had rather gruesomely discovered. There was nothing simple about Cable. "Anyone else?" He asked with a hint of sarcasm in his voice


	4. This was not supposed to happen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whilst Bedlam lies in a pool of blood next to the still unidentifiable severed head, they begin to panic. "Will anyone survive" they ask as the man known as cable begins to pick them off one at a time

Bedlam's body was cold and in a disgruntled mess on the floor. They stood around it as Cable sat on a stool.

  
"Was any of this task real?" Erika asked him, tears welling up in her eyes. She noticed Zeitgeist look a tad delfated by the question 

"Well that head down there or as we call him Deadpool certainly thought it would be. But then again he's an idiot" Cable spoke with the weight of so long on his mind

"So what now, you kill us?" Erika asked  
"I kill mutants or more accurately I cleanse the worĺd of them. Now I know for a fact that some of you are human. If you want to leave you can"

"And what happens to Domino and Zeitgeist" Peter asked, slightly woozy as the severed head seemed to splurt blood as he orodded it in an attemptnto reveal the face beneath it. splashing blood up his trousers. "Also you don't wanna do that. Deadpool was an ugly son of a bitch" Cable laughed then continued

"They die" he was so calm

"Then we choose to fight, Domino is lovely and Zeitgeist has an attitude but they don't deserve to die. We are X force and We will take you down, you don't stand a chance" he was very shaky yet confident and as Cable glanced down at him in amusement, Erika pushed him aside.

"Wise choice" he said

"Erika we need to fight this guy" Peter got louder

 

"No we don't. We need to find a compromise . He's clearly able to kill us like it's nothing"

"No he can't kill all of us" Peter pulled out a switchblade from his back pocket and ran at Cable.  
"Die extension lead!, your fuse has burnt out!" Peter thought he looked so cool but in minutes Cable through him across the wall  
A loud crack occurred as the middle aged mans neck cracked and his face slumped unnaturally into his chest. As though it were made of jelly.

"Shit" Domino uttered

"Quite right, Lucky Charm" Cable knelt beside Peter, " I always hate it when I have to kill humans" he placed his hand on Peters eyes to close them

"Rest brave fool" he whispered as he stood up and resumed his seat on the stool.

"So we clearly see that you are no match. So listen to what I say and you may live Erika" he ignored the other two as they stood beside her

"Ok then. What do you want?" Erika asked He smiled a sinister grin, "You aren't your sister are you, and you know I want to kill them. I will make you a deal. I can go back in time to the night that precious Annabelle was murdered. You can rescue her or whatever and I get to kill these two" Erika's mind was in a quandary as she looked at the two, their lives in her hands

"Yeah I don't think we are going to strike a deal. You have clearly murdered people and how do i know that you aren't going to do the same to me if I pass them to you?" "You don't but what choice do you got?"

"Excuse me. But are we actually discussing our murders right now?" Domino spoke up as Zeitgeist remained silent "Come on. You cannot be serious?" She said at Erika who looked at her in dismay "No because he isn't gonna do it" Zeitgeist said as he stood firmly at Erika' s side.

"I know this guy, I've seen his face. He's the most ruthless killer of mutants. Seems like he's had a little makeover though, huh cable?" He chucked as he struck up a cigarette. With it lit in his mouth he said "guess some one could best you" he smiled and smoke emerged from his lips. "I built myself up with metal to fight you scum. I am a mortal, was once anyway" "And now your a monster. So what happened. I guess you have a captive audience " Domino sat on the couch, they both seemed suddenly so calm. Almost like they had made peace with there demise. "Like I'd share my story with mutants. I don't talk to my prey" he had an intense tone and it was frightening "So what now. You are not going to kill them. Not under my watch" Erika said, shaky "Funny isn't it. Doing all this to some how prove a worth over your sister then you give up a chance to get her back for mutants. For the breed that killed her" "It was a deal gone wrong. I can't blame that on a whole species" she said "Suppose not, but you can blame him right? Didn't you wonder why the medical records showed intense burning to the skin?", almost acid like" She paused for a minute and decided that she wasn't going to play his game

"Your lying. Come on Cable... really like I'm gonna believe that"

"Worth a shot tho right, ha" he laughed and stepped towards her. Placing his hand onto her face. Zeitgeist stood up at this moment

"Don't touch her" he said but It was too late Erika's eyes turned white as he held her back in his arm. The metal jewel in the middle of his hand was pressed against her forehead.

"Erika" Zeitgeist yelled but she was in a different dimension It was blurry as she saw the raging flames , he sister standing in the middle

"Come on" Annabelle yelled. She held out her hand. It was so hot and the walls were collapsing . Mutants everywhere. One in particular was Logan who was lying impaled on a metal spike. Blood gushing from a pale body. "What is this?" Erika asked but Cable had a pained expression on his face, almost a weakening from this act. "Come on" Annabelle continues eventually a hand reached for hers. It was a young man, his skin pale and soft. She took it and they ran from the debris. "She's dead" the familiar voice said years escaping his eyes. "I couldn't save her" it was Zeitgest. His neck was slightly burnt by a black liquid. "I know but we need to get out of here" she pulled him and he stopped. "No. I need to stay here. I have no life without her. He rejected her pulling and she turned to leave, stepping backwards, she pleaded he come His eyes got large as she headed to the exit. He ran to her, noticing a piece of falling metal. He pushed her out the way as it crashed to the ground with a large this. Dust resonated around the room and eventually cleared. He took off his mask and yelled "Annabelle? Annabelle,? He heard a gargle from the distance. There she lay. A spike protruding through her chest.She gargled and blood spewed out of her mouth. "Shit" he said as he collapsed beside her, "I'm so sorry" he cried out He spewed vomit over the metal pole and pulled her into his arm. She winced a bit at the acid as it touched her skin, burning through it. The flesh protruding through her chest, his hands bloodied He held her and repeated worry over and over as her body went from shaking to stillness. Her body fell and he stood up. Spewing vomit into his hands as tears and dirt covered his face, he thrust his hand into his side in an attempt to die. He lay in blood, a cigarette in his mouth.

Cable removed his hand and Erika collapsed. Tears rolled down her face. "Still wanna play my game" Cable collapsed to his knees in a weakened state. A smile on his face. Zeitgeist pulled Erika up and she faced him.

"I'm sorry" he said, she was fuzzy from the vision. Domino stood up and grabbed her other hand Erika was speechless and unable to comprehend it 

"Why didn't you die?" She sat on the couch whilst Zeitgeist stood before her "I don't know. It wasn't through a lack of trying" Erika placed her face in her hands. Cable stood up from his weakened state.

"See I told you didn't I. They are evil and need to be stopped"


	5. What's left to do? Alternate ending #1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erika is shattered by the vision and is given a choice. She is faced with a tricky decision and she knows that she musnt act on emotion. Reason must drive her choice

"Erika, I'm sorry" Zeitgeist knelt before her. He seemed weakened by her lack of dialogue

"So what now Cable?"Domino asked

"Now we wait for her . I'm not in the habit of waiting but it makes it more satisfying to see a broken man crumble"

"Your sick" she said.

"And your luck is running out girly" He was again seated on the stool. His eye glitched as a result of the power he had just used. "So does your power" she stood before him, " you are just an old man" she laughed as she stood over him "I wouldn't " he said "Yeah but you see I'm quite a risk taker you might say"

"And I have very little patience" Cable seemed to tire of this back and forth with Domino. She smiled and shrugged, "sure" her tone sarcastic as she pretended to bow. She turned and he pulled out a gun, firing at her back. "You missed" she said as the bullet hit the metal pole behind her. "Trust me lady. If i wanted to hit you. You'd be dead" Cable reloaded his gun and then put it back in his sling.

Domino stood in front of Erika who sat weakened on the seat. Zeitgeist still sitting in front of her. "Erika" he said as he placed his hand on hers as it rested on her knee. She pulled it away and stood up. Then she stumbled over to where Cable sat. "You made a decision?" He asked a smile stretched across his wrinkled face.

"I have" she exclaimed through a shaky voice  at him a tear fresh on her cheek and she flicked it away. Zeitgeist stood up and turned to face her.

She stood straight, powerful "You can't kill them" she said

"That's such a stupid answer, really thinking with your heart there aren't you?" He rolled his eyes.

"Such a shame" he approached her and stood before her, towering over . It was at this moment that Zeitgeist stood beside her, Domino the other side.

"Time to die" he said as he picked Erika up by her neck, she choked as his grip tightened. Zeitgeist held on to his arm to try and pull her down but he threw him against the wall. He landed violently face first on the floor and was unconscious.

"Let her down. It's us you want to kill? Right?" Domino said to cable as she had one hand behind her back, he didn't respond and she trust a knife in to his neck.

"Bad move" he dropped Erika and turned to Domino, "I hate mutants. Especially ones who think they are clever" he grabbed her by the hair as Erika choked and heaved on the floor, she could merely watch.

Her eyes red as she turned and saw Zeitgeist on the floor. His back was propped against the table. Domino struggled as Cable dragged her across the floor, he picked her up over his shoulder. She was still struggling as he pulled her head back and her neck slowly cracked. Bones became visible as her head cranked backwards, her eyes became glassy the skin ripped and eventually her head was decapitated from her body. "Your luck has run out" he said, almost cliche yet Erika was stunned by the graphic nature of her death.

Blood seemed out of of her neck as he allowed her body to collapse in a heap. Still grasping her head in his hand. His fingers in her eyes like a bowling ball. Blood oozed as he gauged out her eyes. Then threw her head across the room, where it left a bloodied stain in its landing. "I'm sorry but she really annoyed me" he wiped his hands on his trousers and turned back to Erika. Lifting her up by her neck once more. She had tried to claw across the floor to Zeitgeist but couldn't. He held her by the throat, her neck bloody with Domino's blood. "One should never associate with mutants" he said as he squeezed her neck and it collapsed. Her body became like a marionette as he allowed it to slump to the floor.

She was dead Zeitgeist seemed to emerge from his dazed consciousness at this point and got up to go over to her.

He held her lifeless body in his hands for a moment. Her neck tilted back as tears streamed down his face. He was calm. "I'm sorry" he whispered.

Then he turned to Zeitgeist and stood up, allowing her to fall to the floor. As he did this, the name on his Knuckles cleared and it read 'Erika' "Shame isn't it . She didn't remember you" Cable said to him as he got out a blade and began sharpening it. Erika faded to dust on the ground. "I don't understand, but a deals a deal" He walked to Cable and almost offered himself to die.

"I was so sure, she would remember you. Then again distorted time lapses can ruin a person. It's almost ironic that she saw herself die, you told her the story, yet nothing . If only she had listened to Annabelle that day and stayed at home, was a nice little game we played" he chuckled as Zeitgeist lit up a cigarette.

He was broken, he had one chance and he blew it. He stared at the familiar debris if bodies that surrounded him, as the walls began to collapse into fiery destruction. He exhaled smoke as he saw her, bloodied, her skin was faint with acid. He had tried to save her, given everything. Now he had to pay the price. Cable stood behind him "What a mess" he said "At least my family can rest easy now you are dead" he pulled the sharpened blade with his metal arm and dragged it across Zeitgeists throat, blood and acid spewed out of him as he began shaking. The image of her corpse, a mission gone wrong was engrained in his brain as he took his final breath.

Cable let go and Zeitgeist fell. His lifeless body a mere speck of dust in the debris surrounding him. It was a time . A place and a moment that he could never again relive. 

 

He was dead. Cable turned the knob on his time device and left the wreck.

 


	6. What's left to say? Alternate ending #2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erika is tasked with making a decision. Family or love. Something is burning inside her and she is absolutely lost yet Cable won't wait much longer

She sat, shattered. Her mind a wash of emotions and images and each of them spun around her mind. She was distorted and doubted if she could ever think clearly again. Zeitgeist stood at her feet, while Domino stood off with Cable. "I'm so sorry" he said to her, his eyes were focussed on her every action. But she didn't hear him, she didn't hear at all. 

After a few moments she stood up. Domino was testing Cables patience and it was clear he wouldn't wait much longer. 

"Your luck running put girly" he said to her as she smirked 

"It certainly is" Erika said as she wiped away a tear, her face still red. "Take me back to her" she said to Cable who was impressed yet shocked by her answer

"Erika you can't " Domino said to her, placing her hand on Erika's shoulder, "You've had a shock, your not thinking clearly" 

"I'm sorry" Erika said to her as she pushed her away. Domino' s eyes filled with tears and anger 

"So you know what you want, and you are knowingly letting me kill them" he was so impressed and happy with this decision as he milked her weakened state.

"Yes" she said, Zeitgeist stood up and walked towards her. Striking up a cigarette, he wiped his brow. Accepting his fate.

Cable pulled out the knob and sent her to the past. The colours were incredible as she crossed time, witnessing the deaths as they all resumed back to humans. Eventually she reached that murky familiar place. Ashes and dust filled the air.

"Looks like you lost, loverboy" Cable said to Zeitgeist as he and Domino stood inform of him. Domino was in shock as years rolled from her Heterochromiatic eyes. She cried. Cable walked towards her

"Don't be a sore loser" he smiled as he wiped away her tear and picked her up by the throat. 

"You had a good run" he said as he crushes her neck like ribbons, like sticks as her head flopped. She was dead but he wasn't happy.

He kept squeezing and her head eventually was removed from her body, it fell to the floor. Her body followed, like an empty jelly mould. His anger was expressed and taken out on her. And he enjoyed each moment 

Zeitgeist stood, waiting almost for the demise that he had been expecting. He had nothing to live for anyway.

"Guess your plan didn't work?" Cable said to him as he stood before him,

Zeitgeist shrugged "Was worth it, at least the speck of hope that she may have figured it out, but we are all screwed now" he spit vomit on his hand, throwing his cigarette to the floor. Then he took it to his chest and squirmed in pain as he reached for his own heart. Pulling out, taking the satisfaction from Cables smug face. Zeitgeist held the organ for a few moments before crashing to the floor and dying in a puddle of blood. 

The tattoo on his Knuckles cleared up at this moment and it simple read "Erika"

Meanwhile Erika stood, she looked around the burnt out room. Suddenly noticing a similar image. The mutants all spreaded over the floor, Bedlam , Domino and Peter. Dead. In gruesome ways as the bodies lay slightly dusted on the floor.  She approached another, body. A woman. Her hair covered her face, she turned the body over and was shocked to see her sister, blood drenched and drying from her chest. Erika sat, realising her failure. 

She was trapped there. She had no way of coming back. It was at this moment she saw him, Zeitgeist. Still clutching a lifeless corpse. She walked over to him.

Her body disintegrated into dust as she reached him. He didn't see her but she got enough of a look to realise her mistake. The body was eerily familiar. She was seeing her own death, he had sent her back to a moment she hadn't remembered. 

As she faded off the face of existence, she could only watch her own demise. And even worse, his breaking. 

Had she lived this already? Was it all a game?

The room was familiar and she suddenly realised how she knew it. It was the dirty office on the storage park. The office that she had spent multiple hours waiting for the mysterious Red. 

The mission, for what it mattered, had been somewhat recreated.  What a fool she thought as she disintegrated into the universe's core. Looking at the ruins of so many lives. 

 


End file.
